Tesco drivers’ offer to be discussed

Tesco drivers’ offer to be discussed on Friday, as industrial action suspended

17 October 2012

An offer to settle the Tesco drivers’ dispute in Doncaster will be tabled by Eddie Stobart Ltd (ESL) on Friday (19 October), Unite, the largest union in the country, said today (Wednesday 17 October).

Unite said that because this offer was being made the two days of strike action by the 180 drivers planned for tomorrow (Thursday 18 October) and on Friday have been suspended.

Unite regional officer Harriet Eisner said: “Stobart’s has confirmed it intends to put an offer on the table, so we are suspending Thursday and Friday’s action pending the talks on Friday.

“We are not ruling out further action, but Unite is keen to explore what ESL is offering, and that talks are conducted in a constructive and positive manner.”

The 180 Tesco drivers took two days of strike action last week - with great support from the Doncaster public - after ESL, their new employers, had issued 90-days’ notice of termination of employment.

In August the transport workforce was transferred from Tesco to ESL and then, on 5 September, ESL issued notice of termination of employment, with no promise that the drivers will be re-employed once the 90-days are up.

Unite had campaigned for these jobs to be safeguarded once the TUPE (Transfer of Undertaking [Protection of Employment] arrangements) came into force at the beginning of August.